American Whisky Jesus

Murdina's back from her "fieldwork," doing espionage for the government (which government, we're not sure.) We're drinking a 15 year Glen Moray Elgin Heritage series, which is a gluggable whisky, especially if you like 'em easy drinkin' and a Spey as the day is long. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, but most of it is insane. You've been warned. Murdina attempts to turn whisky into Kool-Aid, I talk about what might be the worst kids toy of all time (it's called Super Toe, and it's terrible), and Murdina shops for the perfect Breakfast Wine...Oh, and we tell you everything you need to know about this tasty whisky!

The candy pairing is Ritter Sport (a sport chocolate!) dark chocolate with hazelnuts!

Jesus and Murdina drink and discuss their first Tennessee whiskey on the show, the not-to-be-taken-lightly Jack Daniels Single Barrel Barrel Proof. Sure, they cover the basics: what's a Tennessee whisky, why isn't this a bourbon, and tell you the tragic story of how you can't do tastings at the Jack Daniels distillery, but they cover a lot of other ground too, including the delights of drinking from just the right garden hose and how Kool-Aid just tastes more official if it's in a Kool-Aid Man pitcher.

Murdina can't be blamed for her first candy pairing gone horribly wrong, but Jesus tries. Also, we learn that Murdina's larks only cost $.25. There's live cocktail-making, and Jesus tells the strange story of a town in Kansas where people come for rehab and then proceed to dehab.

Finally, Murdina announces her upcoming series of salacious personal details each week on Twitter called Thursday Night Secrets. You'll want to sign up.

In this special episode of Drink with Me, Murdina and Jesus are joined by Dan Rutstein, co-host of the United States of Dramerica podcast. It's a podcast about the affect of atmospheric ozone on the uptake of oxygen in...just kidding. It's about whisky.

Dan chose the whisky and picked one of Jesus's absolute favorites, Aberlour 12. They cover a lot of ground, but it's best to just listen for yourself. I can tell you they go straight through the Wonkavator ceiling, especially with Murdina's excellent candy pairing.

A couple small housekeeping items:

* Contrary to Jesus's speculation on the subject, Winston Churchill's preferred whisky was in fact Johnnie Walker Red (or Black, or whatever, really), and not Glenlivet.

* Dan's podcast is the United States of Dramerica! Subscribe today!

After a hiatus related primarily to Murdina's mysterious nighttime activities involving a shovel and a flashlight, Jesus and Murdina are back!

Go get yourself a Japanese dark chocolate Kit Kat (with 'adult sweetness') and a bottle of Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky, press play and drink along with us. (This all assumes you're legal of course.)

Every word in the name of this whisky has a story to tell, and we tell 'em. We tell 'em all! You'll also learn whether Murdina's refrigerator is flirting with you or just being friendly. Murdina makes a super handy chart and has the handwriting of a bright 9 year old girl (according to her).

We've also got a few announcements toward the end so stay tuned, but the one you really need to know about is that Murdina wants people to send her candy. Hit her up on Twitter to find out which candy will make her the happiest.

In this episode, Jesus and Murdina drink the Pot Still Texas Bourbon offering from one of their faves, Balcones!

It's a high-rye (according to Jesus...no confirmation on mashbill from Balcones, but trust in Jesus on this one), grain-to-glass bourbon using real Texas Blue Corn, Texas Rye, Texas water and probably Texas glass for the bottles. It's a Tex-up! 2 years aged, good for cocktails, just as good neat.

Find out what just one listener can make Murdina do with the perfectly placed Twitter comment. Listen as Jesus and Murdina fish for attention for all their fan-boy and girling of Balcones...isn't it time Jared, the Balcones Master Distiller, at least shared his cool t-shirt collection with us?

Murdina rants about whisky stones, we discover how AM/PM is unexpectedly flying the flags of excellence and we share the best (and worst) date idea ever.

And of course, we drink a little Balcones Bourbon!

This time, Jesus and Murdina drink and discuss Glenmorangie Original. This is a very nice Scotch whisky from a great distillery, and you can tell because Jesus and Murdina seem to drink a lot of it. They walk you through the tasting, the whisky's history and whose probably going to like this whisky, and then proceed to explain the (totally fake) science behind a barrel of monkeys. Scottish ones. In charming little kilts. Also, and as a service to you, they cover Things You Can't Call Yourself...these are faux pas that you can't commit, so don't miss this episode. And somewhere about two or three drams in, Murdina reveals her candy pairing. It's spectacular.

Join Jesus and Murdina as they drink Kilchoman (pronounced "kill-hoe-man") Machir Bay. They cover the fascinating story of the first new distillery on the island of Islay in 124 years, as they celebrate Feis Ile (the mega-festival on Islay), which they couldn't actually attend this year. They try not to let that make them bitter...and they succeed!

Murdina shows off her Gringa Lass pronunciation of a variety of Scottish words, and Jesus advises against sticking your nose right into a whisky glass like "some kind of cartoon bird," right before he does it anyway. Murdina nearly has to call the paramedics.

Our former intern, Peet, is having her ups and downs at the sewing machine factory, poor thing. Bless her heart.

Jesus imagines the verbal threats hurled at sprouted barley before it gets dried and the best he can come up with is "You're going to be whisky, dummy!"

Murdina admits that she doesn't have any murdering experience, as such, but then reveals a childhood secret involving a pre-haunted house in her neighborhood...spooky!

Finally, Jesus and Murdina develop a no-miss competitor to Next Door, and need a little input from their worldwide listeners on what animals your neighbors are most freaked out about.

And they drink and discuss Kilchoman Machir Bay (plus a little note for the package designers. Constructive input, that's all)

At long last, Murdina returns from Flamenco Regionals (in Spain) so we can do this episode no. 17.

Go get yourself a bottle of Redbreak Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, Lustau Edition, a bit Toblerone bar, and, if you're feeling daffy, a bottle of Lustau Sherry! Then push 'play' and let the evening roll...

In this episode, Murdina and Jesus establish that Whisky is the Counter-Argument to Existential Dread. Murdina goes on to be Judgy Pudgy Pudd'n and Pie. Jesus sincerely hopes Villainelle does NOT hear this podcast.

Important questions are asked, such as, does your doctor have nice hair, and if not, how can you trust him or her?

The Future of Whisky is revealed. (Spoiler Alert: it involves computers, but it's good.) And Murdina is doling out Russian Kisses, so you'll have to listen to find out what that means.

All the while, Murdina and Jesus bring you totally up to speed on this whisky and express their effusive lot for everything it stands for. (And yes, they are willing to record a podcast live from a mattress provided by a mattress sponsor.)

Slainte and Ole!

This time, American Whisky Jesus and King Arthur are drinking Highland Park Valkyrie! This is a slightly smoky, super flavorful, knockout of a whisky from masterful hands of Highland Park. Orkney Island representin'! Arthur and Jesus openly have no chill about how good this whisky is. Highland Park is on Orkney, which is closer to Norway than London, so this is the most Viking Scotch you can imagine. Arthur goes into great detail on who does and doesn't qualify for a ride from a Valkyrie when killed in combat and whether Gronk would get a ride if Arthur killed him in a bar fight. You can listen as Jesus comes to the gradual realization that his candy pairing is terrible and he should leave that to Murdina. We talk about what kind of a person would want to make other people drink arm and realize that whisky is vegetarian! And vegan! Finally, we end on a Jesus Confessional...this is a great whisky and we had a great time drinking it and talking about it. Pick up a bottle (skip the candy pairing) and drink along with us as we do!

Back in October of 2018, I strongly recommended Henry McKenna 10 Year Bottled in Bond Bourbon on the podcast, and frankly, King Arthur and I we put down quite a bit of it. The big news this week was that that same little ol' $35 bottle of Bourbon was named "Best in Show, Whisky" at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Now listen. I don't think competitions like this are what it's all about. It is, as I frequently say, about what you like. But what I was saying back then and what the judges are saying now is that this is some pretty darn good whisky at an incredibly good price. It's also temporarily going to be totally unavailable as the people who have somehow made whisky no fun by buying it as an 'investment' take over for a while. I suspect that will burn off in a few months and this will once again become a bourbon you can make a go-to in your own cabinet.

Meanwhile, I still have a half a bottle that I put in Murdina's liquor cabinet. I better go get that back...